Pros: A reviewer before me described the course as "ball golf" style. Couldn't agree more.

But it works. It's fun, mostly open fairways with mild to medium obstacle. Some Charlotte area greats are frustratingly tough. I appreciate the difficulty, but sometimes it's nice to just open up and have some open air. This course has that

The tee pads are all in great shape, but could be a tad longer in some cases.

Thanks to the more open real estate available in this beautiful park, you get a nice length walk around the "meadows"

Just a great park in general. The playground is something to be seen. Great for the non golfing family members, or a nice walking trail that skirts the property.

Great tee signs, multiple tee pads and multiple pin locations also add to the rating and enjoyment of this course. It flows well from basket to tee pad, and the tee signs give a good overview of each hole.

Cons: This course lacks some variance, as most holes feel like deja vu. Weaving in and out of the trees available in the park help break up the feel, but don't expect wooded tunnel shots. Not a huge con, as this type of course is a nice change.

An unfortunate by-product of this being an awesome park is the amount of people. I can foresee a packed disc golf course with not just golfers, but walkers/joggers/park goers. A few of the holes on the back nine do play somewhat close to the trail.

Hole #17 & #18 seem almost like they ran out of room. Keep an eye out holing out on 17 as 18's fairway is almost over top.

Other Thoughts: Ball golf feel disc golf in the "meadows" near the river. Gorgeous location, with scattered trees make for some scenic fairways. A fun downhill bomb hole or two, and some shorter ace runs make this a low stress, fun golf.

Definitely worth stopping in and playing if you're driving through! Don't hesitate to bring kids, the playground is cool

Pros: I played Catawba Meadows after about 2-3 days of constant rain, so course conditions were pretty lousy. I am trying not to let that impact my rating too much. I will list drainage and flooding issues as a con, but don't want that to take too much away from a course that has so many other good qualities. When *I* played the course, it deserved a 2.5. But I could certainly see that on a nice, sunny day, my playing experience would have been at least .5 to a point higher. Therefore, I settled on 3.0, giving it the benefit of the doubt. All in all, a solid course.

1. Beautiful setting, ball golf style course. It's just an immaculate park, very well maintained, with great facilities. There's a walking trail around the course, an amazing playground (literally one of the coolest "adventure-looking" playgrounds I've seen, so bring the kids). They did a fantastic job with this park.

2. This is an open course that is both aesthtically appealing, but challenging for beginners to intermediate-level players. There are also opportunities to really air it out for bigger arms. Nice to have red and blue tees. Something for everybody here.

3. The tee pads could be another couple feet longer, but they were plenty wide and good quality.

4. The tee signs are helpful, but I thought the yardage was off on a few. I think some alt basket locations must have been added. Still, the signs were good and clearly marked the red and blue tees.

5. I like the risk/reward element on hole #2. The basket is RIGHT on the edge of a creek, a steep bank to the creek anyway, so you have to make the decision to go for a birdie and risk going OB or layup for a par.

6. Some reviews have mentioned the mandos as a negative. I thought they were fine. Anyway, they were well marked and didn't take away anything for me. One set of double mandos forces you to drive in between two trees and keeps you away from the walking trail. For safety reasons, I think that was a smart design element.

7. Good elevation on this course. The foothills are truly the best place, i think, to install a disc golf course. (I'm also a huge fan of Rolling Pines and Yadkin County Park). Catawaba Meadows isn't at that level -- not as much elevation and not nearly in the same league in terms of quality -- but still an above average, open course with a decent mix of uphills and downhills.

8. Nice to have some par 4's mixed in.

9. Pick up a scorebard near the bathroom and playground. It helps with navigation. There are no signs pointing you to the next hole, even though it's usually pretty obvious. On a few holes, there are 2 tees close to the basket you finished on, so the map helps you avoid back-tracking if you guess the wrong tee.

Cons: 1. The major con for me was drainage. Again, I played this course on a less than ideal day, but still, the flooding was out of control. There were rivers running through the course that couldn't be avoided. Standing water everywhere and super muddy. I don't know that there's anything that can be done about this, unfortunately, other than play it on a dry day unless you don't care about getting muddy.

2. I thought the course was a bit repetitive. There was some variety of elevation, and there was the risk/reward element on #2, but for the most part, the holes were pretty similar, all open, and the only variance was length. There wasn't really a signature hole, in my opinion.

3. One aspect that disappointed me was the street noise. It's such a beautiful setting in the foothills: you have this big, open meadow with tall, mature trees dotting the hills, you're right next to the Catawba River. It LOOKS like it should be so peaceful. But the busy road on a ridge going around the course spoils it. It almost gives it an urban park feel, even though it's not at all. Most folks reading this probably won't have this course to compare to, but to me, the most similar course in my experience is Zilker Park in Austin, TX. It's also a big, open course with rolling hills and mature trees. But it's in downtown Austin with a major highway beside it. I wasn't expecting that feel in small town Morganton, NC.

Other Thoughts: All in all, Catawba Meadows is a good course and one that I would definitely play again if given the opportunity. It's close to I-40, so make the stop if you're driving through.

Pros: Let me start by saying if u are looking to play a course to try out new discs, get away from tight line courses for a bit of to simply just get started look no further. This course is great for stress relieve and to enjoy a round of 18 holes without worrying about hitting every tree from here to California **cough cough** Glenn Hilton and Sawmills both located near Catawba. Lines are not very difficult to hit but fun and enjoyable

Red tees are great for intermediate and beginners
Blue tees are great for more experienced players looking for a tough challenge.

Cons: Some recent trees have been planted in odd spots to fill the original grid which doesn't play well for some holes.

Also tee signs need to be updated and replaced with both pin locations on multiple holes.

Will bump up .5 when tee signs are changed.

Other Thoughts: Honestly not many cons to this course.

I notice that playing here I get a true gauge of how my game is and I don't have to worry about not being rewarded for a good shot. As other courses in the area would not.

Seems like B.A.D disc golf is really trying to take the course up a notch and I've def noticed.

Pros: This is a really nice, wide open, course. It probably isn't overly challenging for an advanced player but has something to offer for all levels below that in my opinion. I played the pro tees and my wife played the shorter tees. The pro tees don't really offer added challenge other than the added length.

For the lesser experienced player, you would be hard pressed to lose a disc on this course. Long and right on 2 and right all the way along 17 and 18. However, in both cases you can easily play to the left without really giving up anything.

The course is built on the site of a former nursery with lots of very mature trees. There were a few down from a recent storm but that did not hinder play in any way.

Be sure to pick up a scorecard near the beginning of the course. It was great to see a scorecard with some educational thought put into it and representing one you might see at a non-disc golf course with par and length, etc. all cleanly denoted!

Cons: As I said earlier, the pro tees don't add anything other than length for the most part. The only other con was the repetitive nature of the course.

Other Thoughts: What really sets this course apart for those that enjoy the outdoors is that it is located in a park on the Morganton Greenway System (Google it). After golf (or before) you can do some fishing in the Catawba River, canoe, kayak, or walk / jog / bike along 4.8 miles of paved trails. We even saw some people tubing on the river. This was an unexpected bonus for us as we love the North Carolina mountains and all areas in and around the Blue Ridge.

This can be a great all day spot for someone in the Charlotte area that likes outdoor activities or someone vacationing through the Blue Ridge that wants to try out new courses that also has something for the whole family.

Visually appealing with landscaping and a parklike setting. Sporadic large trees.

Very nice, large teepads.(see cons below)

Good signage and navigation.

The hole design was generally fair with the majority being fairly straight and pretty long. From the long tees, there were very few deuce or die holes. Most required an accurate tee shot of 300+ (or equivalent) to get a birdie.
The par 4's were generally pretty easily birdie-able with two decent shots. Some holes had a low ceiling which provided an additional challenge.

Well-maintained, you'd be hard-pressed to lose a disc.

The holes were generally good based on the terrain and number of trees. It's generally an open course with a few somewhat technical shots created by mandos or double mandos.

Cons: The teepads, while quite large and very nice, sometimes had a retaining wall around the side and/or back. This could create an issue for those who have a long run up or big strides.

Navigation and signage were good, but a few of the holes were using alt basket locations that were not represented on the signs.

A few of the holes were a little redundant, mid 300' open.

The use of mandos was done to create some more technical shots. Some were fine a couple seemed unnecessary, particularly hole 17.

There is potential for some overlap with other players, although it was not crowded at all when I was there on a Sunday Morning.

Other Thoughts: It's a long walk from the parking to all of the holes except for one.

Given the limitations of the property as far as elevation, they did a good job in creating some uphill and downhill shots.

I believe that based on the open nature of the course, wind could be an issue. But that would put some teeth into a generally pretty manageable course.

Definitely a course worth playing. It provides a nice leisurely round in a nice setting.

Pros: This course is one of the most well taken care of courses I've had the privilege of playing. The park that it is situated in has many nice amenities in addition to some really cool things you don't see in most parks (ropes and zip lines etc...)

The relatively new tee pads and associated retaining walls (where applicable) are exceptional. Concrete, adequately sized and many have masonry stone retaining walls that function as benches.

Beginners will love playing here. Not that I didn't fall in love with the game playing Richmond Hill, it's just that Catawba Meadows would have allowed me to play more frustration-free rounds as I was learning technique. The course is mostly open, with nothing more than a few large trees along fairways or near the basket on any given hole. It's mostly flat as well, with a few holes having some slight elevation change. There is virtually ZERO chance to lose a disc (exception being hole #2 ???) all while giving a novice player many chances to try discs out.

There are plenty of ace runs for the slightly more advanced players. I even hit basket in the most recent tournament on hole #6 (401' hole) which was a thrill. The course offers advanced players a chance to hone each disc on some of the longer bombs, while mostly catering to putt and approach from the tee. If your short game needs work, Catawba Meadows is the place to do it.

The course isn't without several long holes either. Although shorter on average, Harold Duvall doesn't make many Eager Beavers. You'll still pull out drivers on probably 4 holes, with hole 8 being the signature down the hill bomb which is a blast.

There is a huge picnic pavilion between hole 1 and the practice basket, providing a great place for tournament headquarters along with picnic area. Additionally, you'll find ample parking and bathroom facilities on your walk to hole 1.

There are also multiple tee pads on many holes, along with excellent tee signs to boot. The details didn't seem to be spared. Baskets are top of the line DISCatchers.

Cons: Perhaps a bit too easy to be taken too seriously by Advanced and higher. At the tournament I was at, nearly every Advanced and Open player finished better than -12 through 2 rounds, with Schultz shooting a -17 round two.

There aren't any official benches, however as I mentioned, you'll find retaining walls on at least 4-5 holes which will allow you to rest if you didn't bring your stool.

There are a couple spots where you'll have a chance to throw into another tee pad/basket area if you aren't careful. Just be aware of other players/park-goers.

Other Thoughts: Honestly, I don't have a lot to complain about with this course. It is maintained at the top level among the best I've ever seen. The amenities leave nothing to be desired, the tee pads are excellent, baskets are top notch and the atmosphere is wonderful. I simply wish it offered a bit more challenge for higher rated players, other than that I'd be proud to have it as my home course.

If you get the chance to play here, definitely do it. You won't regret it and you'll likely have some chances at a few aces!

Pros: -This is the perfect beginner/intermediate course in a nice more open place. If you have a decent arm and some accuracy, you will score under par for sure. I shot -7 and have okay accuracy and a big arm. This course is also beautiful if you play on a sunny day.
-Some trees around there to make it fun.
-I like the pads here! They are wider in the back so they allow you to play a hole pretty much how you want.
-Nice double chain discCatchers on the course.
-There are some really interesting/fun holes on this course! #7 and #8 both utilize elevation very nicely. #7 is an uphill ace run and #8 is a long downhill shot through a few trees. At 526' long, and the longest on the shorts, this seems like a difficult hole but it's a pretty easy birdie 3.
-#17 long, very unique par 4! This is a severe dogleg left with a mando pointing to the right. This is the hardest hole available here, birdies don't happen often but it's a great enough shot just to get to the short pad.
-Front 9 is really easy, I shot -5 on it. Back nine is average. #11 is another hard hole, it forces you to make a decision. Since there is a mando 275' from the tee, and the hole is only 306', you have to decide whether you'll lay up or try to go through it.
-Very nice practice basket around #1.
-I actually think the creek around #17 and #18 is a great addition to the course. Even if it has a disc eating problem.

Cons: -If I just rated this course for fun, I'd give it an easy 4.0. But face it, it's crammed in. A good shot can lead you to another fairway, plus you still have the capacity to get a REALLY easy par if you nail a tree and it goes to another fairway. Hole #8, I landed in #5's fairway and still managed to birdie this hole.
-There are some wooded areas, it wouldn't hurt to have a nice wooded hole. It would be great. #9 is slightly wooded and requires a low shot because of a lower ceiling but it isn't truly wooded, my accuracy needs work and I almost aced this hole, it's a good hole with some defense nevertheless. #18 is also slightly wooded, only hole here that won't accept a straight shot.
-There is graffiti on a couple of baskets, some of those stupid, pointy, bubbly, clowny white trash letters are put on one or two of the baskets.
-Needs both, more benches and trash cans.
-My run up is HUGE, like can't be less than 10'. Pads are a little bit short, but nothing bad.
-Few back tees just 20' behind the shorts, makes no sense. Why do you want another tee pad with all the limited space?

Other Thoughts: -If I found the time to play the longs, I would have for sure because they looked really fun too. This course is very fun, I loved it. I think the lack of variety and the fact that it's crammed in is why I gave it a 3.0. This course and layout itself rocks but if you aren't careful, you could get in somebody's way.
-From the longs, you will see more variety. Lengths range from 212' to 600' and there are more woods and still some of that great open area like holes 17 and 18 being more wooded and hole 10 being a really fun more open bomb!
-I had some cons with this course but I think my pros are far more important because all of my cons are nothing major. Like some holes here are majorly fun with a decent amount of elevation, and different lengths. Just play this course, it was well worth an hour drive. Problem was only that my GPS didn't work at first and I had no idea where I was going or where to stop when I stopped in Newton.

Pros: Wide open and tons of fun ripping it. Excellent tee pads and baskets - well maintained all the way around. Remember to look for the next tee on the sign before you tee off - then navigation is easy too. Great course for beginners, and fun for advanced players - you will spend almost no time looking for lost disks.